Steve Breen and Manti Te'o

Steve Breen’s cartoon April 30 poking fun at Manti Te’o was not only tactless it demonstrated a disappointing side of Breen’s creativity. Te’o’s first San Diego interview demonstrated a wiser, more mature, individual who acknowledged his regretful mistake and expressed only a desire to be a positive force for his teammates, the team and the city. Why not create a caption demonstrating Te’o in a positive light moving on, burying, or eliminating the mistake? Instead Breen chose the least challenging of creative options … to poke fun. A cheap shot! You’re better than that Breen! How many times do we need to rip the scab off the wound? He was the victim not the perpetrator! — Rick Cummings, Chula Vista

Today’s “political” cartoon making fun of a nice, if naive, young man is just plain tasteless. I would suggest that your editor needs to wake up. — Frank Hannegan, Coronado

I do not always agree with Steve Breen, and that’s OK, if/when he makes you think. However, his cheap shot at Manti Te’o is completely mean-spirited and totally classless. This young man has been going through this for months now, and has been very open and honest about everything. This issue was old news a long time ago, and he certainly doesn’t deserve to get dragged through it again. Some may think it’s inevitable, but I think that it’s time to let it go. — Kirk McKeever, North Park

Your cartoon for [Tuesday] impressed me as in poor taste, insensitive and ungracious in relation to the young man. — Frank Carver, San Diego

Thank you Steve Breen for such a warm welcome to San Diego for Manti Te’o. Hasn’t he suffered enough humiliation? Shame on you. — Hallie Burch, University City

I find it very offensive and mean-spirited to see the cartoon about Manti Te’o that Steve Breen drew for the April 30 issue of the U-T. Here we have a young man coming to San Diego to help our Chargers have a productive season. I am a native San Diegan and a Charger fan since 1962. I fully support my teams. Give Manti a chance to prove himself on the field.

Go Chargers! — Armando Rodriguez, Coronado

I am a die-hard Chargers fan. Going back to the old AFL days when they were the Los Angeles Chargers. With John Hadl, Lance Alworth and Ernie Ladd, etc. I enjoyed being able to see most of there games when I lived in La Mesa.

I think the cartoon by your very uncomical cartoonist Steve Breen, showed a lack of class. First off, you know nothing about this young man. If you are going to do something like that you need to think about it. We as teachers in the high schools are trying our very best to stop the students from bullying, and by showing the different forms. This is one form bullying.

How can we tell the students bullying is wrong, when you have someone like Breen showing Manti walking along the beach with his arm around no one. It shows a lack of class and respect for another.

Believe me when I tell you this hit the big time here in South Bend. I can only imagine what the University of Notre Dame student body thinks of it. Especially when Manti Te’o is one of the most respected men on campus. You could tell that when the student body rallied around him after his grandmother passed away, by wearing the Hawaiian leis.

I had the pleasure of watching Manti Te’o go from a so so player as a freshman to a high-level middle linebacker as a senior. He knows his way around the football field, best of all he can spot the different formations of the offense and make the correct adjustments for the defense.

He did the numerous times during the games. If anyone on your staff watched the draft on Friday they would have been able to see him in action. Please do not bring up the Alabama game. One game does not make a player or a season. Alabama had some big boys on the offensive side of the ball. I give them credit they took it to us.

You will never see anyone come in and work to make himself a better football player. He is very smart and he’ll have the playbook down pat in no time. Just give him a chance. In a couple of years he will be the best draft pick on the team. In the meantime, I think your [cartoonist] needs to apologize to Manti Te’o. — Jack Hayden, South Bend, Ind.

Come on Breen. What an elementary cartoon. We are better than that. Let’s welcome Te’o for his talent on the field. With Butler and Te’o, we’ll have the best linebackers in the NFL. Go Chargers! — Joe Coords, San Diego

The cartoon by Mr. Breen was tasteless and unnecessary. Mr. Te’o is 22 years old and probably is about as mature and experienced as most males 22 years old.

He had to face a room full of sports writers recently to answer questions about the issue of the cartoon and did feel the brunt all that negative focus of what could be chalked up to naiveté.

That cartoon took advantage of an easy target and was undistinguishing to the cartoonist and your paper. — Mark Zimmerman, Durham, N.C.

Don’t pick the low fruit just because its easy. You are better than this. — Paul Sprecco, Lakeside

While I have thoroughly enjoyed Steve Breen’s cartooning throughout the years, his “welcome to San Diego” depiction of Manti Te’o was childish and inappropriate. When is it time to turn the corner on this and show some support to the new Charger in hopes that he can have a long and productive NFL career? Making fun of others at their expense should have a time limit. This was a major story three months ago, but wouldn’t be funny even if Te’o had been drafted by the Raiders. This is something I would have expected from a first-grader, not a respected cartoonist. — Jim Lackritz, San Carlos

I thought [Tuesday’s] Manti Te’o cartoon was lowbrow, and here’s why:

• that joke’s been overdone

• that episode is past history

• San Diego needs a lift in football

• Manti Te’o needs a lift in life

Steve Breen is so smart and so funny that I figured he might have come up with something better. It’s hard to knock a Pulitzer Prize winner, but then he went and knocked the Butkus Award winner. Let’s hope for a clever follow-up that’s a positive shot in the arm for all of us football fans. — Ted Ewing, Normal Heights

I’d love to laugh at a Manti joke if it was funny. But since it’s already been well established that Manti was the victim of a hoax this cartoon comes off as clueless. Anyone who believes the storyline that he concocted the fake girlfriend to get attention is even more gullible than Manti. But hey, don’t let the truth get in the way of a good joke. — Rocky McDonald, Rancho Bernardo

Why does Steve Breen (along with Matt Calkins and other U-T staffers) feel the need to joke about Manti Te’o? Put it to rest and welcome Manti to San Diego! The Chargers just stole the best linebacker in the draft. San Diegans should be celebrating! — Mike Allen, Del Cerro